The Racialized Nature of Advanced Placement in Minority White Schools

• In Event: Access, Detracking, and Tracking: Policy, Practice, and Stakeholder Perspectives

Abstract

Although minority White high schools have disproportionate AP participation by race and income-level, we do not understand the role of magnet high schools in these inequalities. Expanding on racialized organizations and tracking theory, I evaluate AP access and performance in a large minority White urban district in the Southwest. Through OLS and logistic regression, I analyze the relationship among student demographics, educational context, and AP outcomes districtwide and within magnet schools. School-level data is also used to evaluate racialized tracking into magnet schools. Findings suggest Black students are disadvantaged in AP access and performance, while Hispanic students are disadvantaged in AP performance. These disadvantages are worse for low-income students. Patterns of racialized tracking into magnet schools are also evident.

Author

• Brianna R. Freshwater, Southern Methodist University